Professional Experience - Mentor Information EDU10001 Introduction to curriculum planning and assessment: Practicum 1 Required days: 20 days full time. Any missed days must be made up. Required setting: Early childhood setting Age group: 2-5 years Overview: This is the first Professional Experience Unit of the Bachelor of Education (Early childhood/primary). Pre-service Teachers are to complete 20 days of supervised professional experience with children aged 2-5 years within the allocated teaching block. In preparation for their professional experience in early childhood settings, Pre-service teachers will engage with unit materials that prepare them for professional experience, introducing them to curriculum planning and assessment in early childhood education. Whilst on professional experience, Pre-service Teachers are expected to involve themselves in the life of the early childhood setting and reflect on their practice and performance in discussion with their Mentor and their Swinburne Online elearning Advisor (ela). Pre-service Teachers will be introduced to all aspects of teaching, eventually taking responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating an indoor, outdoor and routine experience. The role of the Mentor in the professional setting is crucial to both the University and the Pre-service Teacher in facilitating and supporting professional experience, and we acknowledge and appreciate the significant time that is devoted to this task. In an effort to ensure that this experience is rewarding for all parties, we hope that the information contained in this document, clarifies and assists in defining the role. The expectations from the Mentor: Familiarise yourself with the Swinburne Online Professional Experience Handbook and website. Discuss the professional experience requirements with the Pre-service Teacher and provide an induction. Communicate the philosophy, policies and procedures and share expectations for professional conduct. Encourage the Pre-service Teacher s involvement in all aspects of the educational setting s life (e.g. excursions, special events, extra-curricular activities, staff meetings, etc.). Guide Pre-service Teacher in establishing and maintaining relationships with students, staff and families. Encourage increasing responsibility for routines and experiences as the professional experience progresses. Provide support and guidance with all aspects of planning. Negotiate planning time (4-12.5 hours per week, around a minimum of 25 hours contact time with children. We acknowledge this will vary depending on setting and programs). Share your planning and assessment of children s learning including links to the EYLF. Model and explain techniques and strategies for teaching. Share and discuss the expectations and guidance strategies for children s behaviour. Observe the Pre-service Teacher and provide ongoing, honest and constructive feedback. Schedule regular meetings to discuss planning and progress, including a meeting to complete Interim Report.
The reporting responsibility of the mentor: We acknowledge the challenge and responsibility that comes with assessing Pre-service Teachers (PST). Although we will not physically visit the early childhood setting, support is available through the Swinburne Online website and the Professional Placement Team. We place great faith in your professional judgement and request an honest validation of the Pre-service Teacher s progress and final assessment. If you feel that an unsatisfactory result is warranted, your decision will be supported and accepted by the University. Please complete an Interim Progress Report form by midway through the professional experience (day 10). Make a copy for yourself and return to the PST for submission to their ela. If the PST receives an UNSATISFACTORY result by day 10 of the practicum, the Mentor is requested to contact the Professional Placement Office and to complete the Professional Experience Support Plan. Please complete and submit the final report form immediately after the final placement day. For a detailed explanation of the assessment and reporting process, please refer to the Professional Experience Handbook. The Mentor is required to sign off on the number of completed days. Any missed days need to be made up in consultation with the Mentor teacher and the missed days policy outlined in the Professional Experience Handbook. Weekly Expectations: Throughout this first professional experience, Pre-service Teachers (PSTs) are expected to undertake the specific teaching roles that are outlined below, as a minimum requirement. Any additional teaching opportunities are at the discretion of the Mentor Teacher and in negotiation with the Pre-service Teacher (PST). Week Mentor expectations Pre-service Teacher expectations 1 Welcome and introduce PST to children, families and staff. Discuss expectations, routines and key policies, procedures and documents. Provide strategies for documenting observations. Provide prompts to encourage reflective practices. Discuss strategies to assist the PST in establishing relationships with students and families. Discuss individual children s strengths, needs and interests. Where possible, share current planning documents with the PST. 2 Provide feedback on verbal and non-verbal communication and observations. Support and guide the development of learning plans. Provide prompts to encourage reflective practices. Schedule a meeting with the PST to complete the Interim Progress Report at the end of this week. Familiarise yourself with the setting, including: philosophy, expectations and policies. Establish professional relationships with children, staff and families. Record general observations about routines and experiences Assist with daily routines and engage in all aspects of the curriculum Record reflections about the teaching and communication strategies used by your Mentor. Establish a neat and organised professional experience folder. Familiarise yourself with all aspects of the curriculum Ask questions about how particular learning experiences are planned, implemented and assessed with your mentor Continue to make observations and support the curriculum In consultation with your mentor, plan and implement at least one learning experience. Use planned teaching strategies to support learning. Record observations about how children engage in the planned experience.
Provide constructive feedback on all aspects of teaching and set goals for the remaining two weeks. Complete a Support Plan if required. 3 Provide support to assess learning. Provide feedback on learning plans and effectiveness of teaching. Provide opportunities for the PST to take increased responsibility for routines and experiences. Ongoing discussion and support with behaviour guidance. 4 Complete the Final Report on the last day. A copy is to be made for the setting, the PST and one to be sent to the Professional Placements Office. Provide constructive feedback on all aspects of teaching and set goals for future development. Schedule any missed days in consultation with the PST. Record reflections about communication and relationships with children, families and teachers. Initiate a meeting with your Mentor to complete the Interim Progress Report at the end of this week Set goals for the remaining two weeks of your professional experience in consultation with your Mentor. Take increased responsibility for planning and implementing learning experiences Embed a range of intentional teaching strategies within your practice, with the support and guidance of your Mentor. Make sure that you take the time to critically reflect on all aspects of your professional experience and make conclusions about what has worked, not worked, key learning and insights. Continue to observe children s learning With the support of your Mentor evaluate your learning plans Seek ongoing feedback from your Mentor. Evaluate second learning experience. Plan and implement third learning experience. Record reflections about professional strengths and challenges. Make a time to meet with your Mentor and complete the final report. Obtain a copy of the final report and set goals for future development. Make arrangements for any missed days Unit Assessment Requirements: Throughout the professional experience, the Pre-service Teacher will be expected to work on learning plans (1 indoor, 1 outdoor and 1 routine based experience) and a reflection task. Note: As a Mentor your feedback on teaching performance, written plans and reflective practice is important however you are not required, nor expected, to mark written work. Supportive resources: Should you have any queries and/or concerns at any time throughout the practicum, please contact the Professional Placement Team: Phone: 1300 797 765 Email: placements@swinburneonline.com
Professional Experience Report Introduction to Curriculum Planning and Assessment for Early Childhood Practicum 1 EDU10001 Assessing Professional Practice We place great faith in the Mentor and the Nominated Supervisor s professional judgement and request an honest validation of the Pre-service Teacher s progress and final assessment. Considering the level expected for the particular professional experience, Mentor teachers and the nominated supervisors are asked to make a professional judgement and assess the overall performance of the Pre-service Teacher. Practicum EDU10001 is the first practicum in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) and (Primary) courses and Pre-service Teachers are required to complete 20 days of professional experience with children aged 2-5 years. In order to satisfactorily complete this practicum, the Pre-service Teacher is required to meet the relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at Graduate stage (AITSL, 2014). To assist you in assessing the Pre-service Teacher, examples from Project Evidence (2012) have been used or adapted and included in the shaded area on each page. The reporting responsibility of the Mentor: 1. To complete and submit an Interim Progress Report form by midway through the professional experience (day 10). This is to be submitted to Swinburne Online. 2. If the Pre-service Teacher receives a CAUSE FOR CONCERN result on the Interim Progress Report, the Mentor is required to contact the Professional Placement Team and complete the Professional Experience Support Plan. This is to be submitted to the Swinburne Online Professional Placement Team by the Mentor. 3. To complete and submit the final report form, immediately on or the day after the final placement day. The reporting responsibility of the Pre-service Teacher is: 1. To make sure all documents are completed in a timely manner and submitted by the required dates. Please note the Interim Progress Report form is part of the practicum hurdle requirement. 2. To participate in the interim & end of assessment reporting process. This professional experience report contains the following sections: Part A: Interim report To be completed by day 10 Part B: Final report To be completed at the end of the professional experience Part C: Support plan ONLY to be completed if a Cause for Concern is received on the interim report Should you have any queries and/or concerns at any time throughout the practicum, please contact the Swinburne Online Professional Placement Team directly: Swinburne Online Professional Placement Team Phone: 1300 797 765 Email: placements@swinburneonline.com Page 1
PART A: INTERIM REPORT EDU10001 Interim Report Assessing Pre-service Teacher s progress against each Domain of Teaching The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers are grouped into three broad Domains Professional (Standards 1 and 2), Professional Practice (Standards 3, 4 and 5) and Professional Engagement (Standards 6 and 7). At the Interim Report stage, Pre-Service Teachers will be assessed as follows: SP Satisfactory Progress the student is making satisfactory progress towards this Domain at the level indicated. WT Working Towards the student is working towards satisfactory progress towards this Domain at the level indicated, or has not yet had a suitable opportunity to demonstrate competence in this Domain. In either case, this Domain may require attention in the second half of the placement (but no additional documentation is required). CC Cause for Concern the student is not making satisfactory progress towards this Domain at the level indicated. This Domain will require focused attention in the second half of the placement and a Support Plan must be submitted along with the Interim Report. Pre-service Teacher : Number of days completed in this phase: Please note: Missed days should be made up in negotiation with the mentor. Mentor: Nominated Supervisor: Student number: Missed days: Principal/Director: Year level/age group: Days made up: Based on the level achieved in the first phase of this placement, the Pre-Service Teacher is assessed at the following level of achievement (Please tick the appropriate box) Professional : Demonstrates current professional knowledge and skills to begin planning for and managing learning programs. Professional Practice: Demonstrates a growing capacity to begin to plan, implement and assess for effective teaching and learning as well as maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. Professional Engagement: Demonstrates the capacity to begin developing effective relationships with the school community to enhance learning opportunities. SP WT *CC SP WT *CC SP WT *CC *IMPORTANT: If one or more CC results are indicated against the Domains of Teaching above, submission of this Interim Report must be accompanied by a completed Professional Experience Support Plan. When completing the above assessment of interim progress, please make a judgement based on the Pre-Service Teacher s achievement to date against the practical interpretations of each standard, situated in the shaded area underneath each. Comments (Optional): Mentor Teacher Signatures Mentor: Pre-service Teacher: Nominated Supervisor: Date: Page 2
PART B: FINAL REPORT EDU10001 Final Report - against each of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate) For each of the standards, Pre-service Teachers will be assessed as: 0 Not demonstrated the student has not demonstrated the professional standard at a relevant level. If a Preservice Teacher is awarded a 0 for any of the standards they must receive an UNSATISFACTORY overall result. 1 Demonstrated occasionally the student has been able to demonstrate the professional standard at a relevant level, albeit occasionally. It is accepted that Pre-service Teachers enrolled in EDU10001, EDU20006 and EDU60015 may mostly reflect this level in their Interim and final assessments. 2 Demonstrated regularly the student has demonstrated the professional standard regularly during their professional experience. It is accepted that Pre-service Teachers enrolled in EDU30003, EDU30015 and EDU70012 may mostly reflect this level in their Interim and final assessments. 3 Demonstrated consistently the student has consistently demonstrated the Professional standard throughout their professional experience. It is accepted that Pre-service Teachers enrolled in EDU40005, EDU40006, EDU40012 and EDU80015 may mostly reflect this level in their Interim and final assessments. Standard 1- Know the students and how they learn [Professional Domain]: 1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students Nominated Supervisor (Optional if required) Professional Examples of evidence 1.1 In collaboration with mentor teacher, plans age appropriate learning experiences that support children s development. Identifies children s domains of development, interests and strengths in discussions, observations and planning. Follows the modelling of the mentor in accommodating difference. Page 3
Standard 2- Know the content and how to teach it [Professional Domain]: 2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area 2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting Nominated Supervisor (Optional if required) Professional Examples of evidence 2.1 Identifies different strategies for teaching Implements teaching strategies developed and/or modelled by supervising teacher. Understands the importance of establishing the association between content and strategy Accurate use of language/terms/definitions and written resources Evidence of content knowledge in planning Uses resources provided by the mentor teacher and shows initiative in sourcing additional resources Responds to supervisor feedback and adjusts planning 2.3 Takes observations of children s interactions, play, learning and routines Plans indoor, outdoor and routine based learning experience based on strengths and interests observed Identifies and discuss appropriate teaching strategies with guidance from mentor Makes relevant links to the EYLF and curriculum documents of the practicum setting in discussions and learning plans Standard 3- Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning [Professional Practice Domain]: 3.3 Use teaching strategies 3.4 Select and use resources 3.5 Use effective classroom communication Nominated Supervisor s comments (Optional): Professional Examples of evidence Page 4
3.3 Beginning to plan and use a range of strategies where appropriate - whole group, small group, individual. Identifies, practices and reflects on a range of teaching strategies such as modelling, co-constructing, questioning, describing, listening 3.4 In consultation with Mentor, selects appropriate resources to implement planned learning experiences Includes consideration of natural and improvised materials 3.5 Demonstrates awareness of positioning and body language Gets down on children s level and uses voice effectively to interact with children Offers respectful verbal encouragement and positive feedback Engages in experiences with children Standard 4- Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments [Professional Practice Domain]: 4.2 Manage classroom activities Nominated Supervisor s comments (Optional): Professional Examples of evidence 4.2 Gathers information about current routines and learning experiences. Effective planning and implementation of three learning experiences in consultation with the Mentor. Engages with children and provides clear guidance in planned experiences. Supports smooth flowing transitions and contributes to creating a calm environment for children. Supports children through routines such as nappy changing/toileting, meals and sleep times. Standard 5 - Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning [Professional Practice]: 5.1 Assess student learning Only 5.4 Interpret student data Reference Page 5
Nominated Supervisor s comments (Optional): Professional Examples of evidence 5.1 Pre-service teacher is familiar with to the assessment and documentation used within the setting. Demonstrates a basic understanding of how the EYLF supports assessment. Shares observations of children s learning, both informally through conversations and in written work. 5.4 Uses children s background information to inform curriculum planning and pedagogy. Familiarises self with prior planning documentation and uses this to inform future plans. Use observations of children s learning to inform planning of experiences. Recognises that data relating to infant development and growth can be used to inform practice. With mentor support has effectively evaluated learning plans. Standard 6 Engage in professional learning [Professional Engagement]: 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice Nominated Supervisor s comments (Optional): Professional Examples of evidence 6.3 With Supervisor/Mentor identifies and discusses professional strengths and challenges. Seeks feedback for improvement. Applies constructive feedback from supervisors/mentors to improve teaching practices. Page 6
Standard 7 Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community [Professional Engagement]: 7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities 7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements Nominated Supervisor s comments (Optional): Professional Examples of evidence 7.1 Dresses, speaks and behaves in a professional manner Interactions with children, families and staff are respectful Familiar with the ECA code of ethics and the settings and jurisdictional professional codes of conduct. 7.2 Is aware of and follows the setting s key policies and procedures and knows where these are located. Is aware of and follows workplace health and safety guidelines (e.g. hand washing, team lifting, and evacuation procedures). Communicates effectively to ensure Mentor knows where Pre-service teacher is. Remains under the supervision of Mentor/ employed educator at all times when with children. Page 7
Final professional experience summary and comments This section has been provided to record an accurate summary of the professional experience by all participants. It can also be a space to reflect on strengths and create goals for future improvement. Pre-Service Teacher comments: Nominated Supervisor comments (Optional): Page 8
Professional Experience Final Report Introduction to Curriculum Planning and Assessment for Early Childhood Practicum 1 EDU10001 Pre-service Teacher : Student number: Number of days completed: Please note: Missed days should be made up in negotiation with the mentor. Educational setting address and contact details: Mentor: Nominated Supervisor Overall Performance Missed days: Principal/Director: Year level/age group: Days made up: Satisfactory. A teaching performance that is satisfactory in assuming the professional responsibilities of a graduating teacher for this stage of practice. The Pre-service Teacher has not received a 0 for any of the assessed Standards. Unsatisfactory. A teaching performance that is not satisfactory in assuming the professional responsibilities of a graduating teacher for this stage of practice. The Pre-service Teacher has received a 0 for any of the assessed Standards and/or is deemed by the Mentor and the Nominated supervisor to be not achieving the required level for the stage of practice. Not completed. Teaching performance has not yet reached a satisfactory level for this stage due to exceptional circumstances and will be dealt with on a case to case basis. (For examples of Result Deferred refer to the practicum handbook). Based on the level achieved for each standard the final overall result for the Pre-service Teacher is assessed as: (Please tick the appropriate box) Satisfactory The Pre-service Teacher has received 1-3 for every standard Unsatisfactory The Pre-service Teacher has received a 0 for one or more standards Not completed The Pre-service Teacher has not completed the required number of days Signatures Mentor signature Pre-service Teacher Nominated Supervisor Date Page 9
PART C: Professional Experience Support Plan This form is only required to be completed if the Pre-service Teacher receives a CAUSE FOR CONCERN result on the Interim Progress Report. Please contact the Professional Placement Team and complete the following Support Plan in consultation with the Pre-service Teacher. This is to be submitted to the Swinburne Online Professional Placement Team by the Mentor. Pre-service Student Date: Teacher: number: Number of days completed: Missed days: Days made up: Educational setting address and contact details: Mentor: Nominated Supervisor: The following three sections are to be completed by the Mentor teacher: Major areas of concern Please identify which areas from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate) and/or any other areas of concern regarding teacher professional conduct that need to be improved on by the Pre-service Teacher. Actions required by the Pre-service Teacher 1. Support from the Mentor and collaboration with nominated supervisor Signatures Mentor signature Pre-service Teacher Nominated Supervisor Date The following sections are to be completed by the Swinburne Online Professional Placement Team: Support from Swinburne Online 1. 2. 3. 2. 3. Year level/age group: Date for review Review comments/notes Page 10